Azerbaijan takes steps for extradition of Russian blogger

The blogger, who has multiple citizenships, illegally visited the occupied Azerbaijani territories and entered into criminal conspiracy with Armenians living in the occupied territories.

Lapshin is accused of violating the international laws and the laws of Azerbaijan on the state border and passports in April 2011 and October 2012, the Prosecutor General’s Office said.

To promote the illegal regime created in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories, Lapshin presented Nagorno Karabakh as an “independent state” on his page in the social network. Moreover, he expressed support to the “independence” of the unrecognized regime on April 6 and June 29, 2016, by calls aimed at violating the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Because of his calls against the Azerbaijani state and violation of the state border, the Prosecutor-General's office opened a criminal case under the relevant articles and issued an international arrest warrant for Lapshin.

The law enforcement bodies of Belarus have detained Lapshin. Currently, talks on his extradition to Azerbaijan are held.

Baku has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of unauthorized visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia, calling them contradictory to international law.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.

Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.